Dear Mark,
I go to Atlantic City
about two times a month, stay overnight and lose a bundle. I just love
it. My question: I play a "Reel-em-in" 25-cent slot machine. Now you can
bet up to 45 quarters on these machines. Well, after losing so much
money, I found these same machines in the nickel denomination. Now I
find that I can play 45 nickels and it is only $2.25 a hand compared to
$11.25 a hand on quarter machines. Would it be better to play a dollar
slot with 2 coins in ($2) or play the nickels at $2.25 with 45 nickels
in? Same with the quarter slots. Play with 45 quarters at $11.25 a hand
or play a $5 slot with 2 coins in ($10.00)? I always thought the higher
the denomination machine, the better your chances of winning. Please
give me your feedback. Loretta K.
You have many questions, Loretta, but
let's start with "lose a bundle and just loving it." I can't help but
think: are you really having fun when you're losing? Taken as known, the
casino has but two goals: separate you from your money and put a smile
on your face. Evidently with you they have achieved their objective.
Your style of play creates this scenario.
Insert multiple coins, play for a short while, lose, go home.
Essentially, you are aggravating an already bad situation by risking
more, at a much faster rate, on a game with a high negative expectation.
For every dollar you insert, Loretta, the casino is going to keep around
nine cents, and it doesn't matter whether you pump in 5 or 45 quarters.
This is a certainty for two reasons. First, slot machines are
pre-programmed to return a certain percentage to the player and second,
New Jersey casinos, by law, make public the average percent of each
wager that is returned to the player.
Quarter machines (25¢) in Atlantic City
return on average 90.5 cents of each dollar played compared to 91.7 on a
dollar machine. Hardly a break on the Jersey Shore when you bump up to a
higher denomination machine.
Furthermore, weigh the 90.5¢ return on
Jersey's quarter machines against the following gaming jurisdictions and
you'll notice that Atlantic City slot machines are no bargain: Colorado
94.1; Illinois 92.4; Iowa 92.4; Nevada 94.7.
My gambling recommendation to you is as
follows. Bet a whole lot less, like nickel or quarter machines with a
five coin maximum, or make nominal wagers on some of the smarter bets I
suggest weekly in this column. Then, write me back and let me know how
much more you enjoy gambling when you break even for a trip or, better
yet, actually win and put a few of the casino's dollars in your purse.
Dear Mark,
I would like to know the
correct basic strategy play for a soft 18. I learned that when one has
an ace/seven, the smart play is to stand on a dealer's 2, 7, 8, and hit
all others. With my limited mathematical skills, I have come to accept
this as correct. However, I still get looks from dealers when I play out
the hand. What do you think? Steve L.
Your play is nearly correct. An ace-seven
is one of those tricky hands about which numerous experts disagree. The
general consensus is to stand on 2, 7, 8; double down when playing rules
allow it against a 3-6; and hit against a 9 or 10 count card. But
against an ace the pros are nearly divided between hitting and standing.
I side with the half that recommends hitting versus standing when
fronting an ace.
